Gonzaga University
Westmont College (Calif.) (Exh.)
10/26/2026 2:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TUESDAY, OCT. 27 | 6 P.M. | SPOKANE, WA | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
RADIO: 101.5 FM |Â GAME NOTES
TV: NONE
THE TIPOFFÂ
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team opens the 2026-27 season with an exhibition against Westmont on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. in the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs officially begin the regular season on Nov. 2 against North Dakota State.
- Gonzaga enters its inaugural season in the Pac-12 Conference after finishing the 2025-26 campaign with a 24-10 overall record and a 14-4 mark in West Coast Conference play. The Zags won their 11th WCC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 16th time in program history.
- Head coach Lisa Fortier enters her 13th season leading the Bulldogs with a 313-84 career record and a .788 winning percentage. Fortier has guided Gonzaga to 11 seasons of at least 20 wins in her first 12 years as head coach, including the 2025-26 campaign.
- Lauren Whittaker returns after a record-breaking campaign in 2025-26. Whittaker averaged a team-high 19.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 53.6% from the floor. She finished the season with 649 points and 348 rebounds, establishing Gonzaga freshman records in both categories.
- Whittaker became the first player in Gonzaga women's basketball history to earn WCC Player of the Year and WCC Freshman of the Year honors in the same season. She also set the program's single-season rebounding record with 348 boards, surpassing Yvonne Ejim's previous mark of 326.
- Gonzaga finished the 2025-26 season shooting 39.2% from three-point range, leading the nation in three-point percentage. The Bulldogs made 244 three-pointers and averaged 7.2 made threes per game.
- Allie Turner returns after another impressive season from beyond the arc. Turner led Gonzaga with 89 made three-pointers while shooting 47.1% from deep. She averaged 14.8 points and a team-high 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 95.6% from the free-throw line.
- The Bulldogs shot 45.2% from the field in 2025-26 while averaging 74.1 points per game. Gonzaga also averaged 16.9 assists per contest and held opponents to 39.8% shooting from the floor.
- The Zags return every single starter from last year and 10 players overall.Â
A NEW ERA IN THE PAC-12
- Gonzaga women's basketball enters its inaugural season in the Pac-12 Conference in 2026-27 after officially joining the league on July 1, 2026.
- The new-look Pac-12 features nine members: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State and Washington State.
- The Bulldogs will play a 16-game conference schedule, featuring eight home games and eight road contests.
- Gonzaga opens Pac-12 play on Jan. 6 against Oregon State inside the McCarthey Athletic Center.
BUILDING ON LAST SEASON
- Gonzaga finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 overall record and a 14-4 mark in West Coast Conference play.
- The Bulldogs posted a 12-3 home record and went a perfect 9-0 at home against conference opponents.
- Gonzaga averaged 74.1 points per game while holding opponents to 65.0 points per contest, finishing with a +9.1 scoring margin.
- The Zags shot 45.2% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc, making 244 three-pointers.
- Gonzaga outrebounded opponents by 10.7 boards per game, averaging 40.9 rebounds compared to 30.2 for its opponents.
- The Bulldogs averaged 16.9 assists per game and collected 573 assists over 34 contests.
WHITTAKER'S HISTORIC CAMPAIGN
- Lauren Whittaker put together one of the most impressive freshman seasons in Gonzaga history in 2025-26, leading the Bulldogs with 19.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
- Whittaker finished the season with 649 points, 348 rebounds and 43 steals while shooting 53.6% from the field.
- Against Oregon State on Jan. 22, Whittaker scored a career-high 37 points, setting the Gonzaga freshman single-game scoring record. She finished 12-of-26 from the field and 12-of-14 from the free throw line.
- Whittaker grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds twice, against Missouri State on Dec. 19 and LMU on Dec. 28.
- Whittaker set the program's freshman record for double-doubles and established herself as one of the nation's top first-year players.
- Whittaker was named the WCC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, becoming just the second freshman in conference history to earn Player of the Year honors.
- She also collected 12 WCC Freshman of the Week awards, tying the conference single-season record, and earned USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week recognition.
Note: Due to recent changes in NCAA eligibility rules regarding redshirt seasons, Lauren Whittaker is now classified as a junior for the 2026-27 season.
A.T. = AUTOMATIC FROM THREE
- Allie Turner enters her junior season after another impressive campaign from beyond the arc, shooting 47.1% from three-point range in 2025-26.
- Turner connected on 89 three-pointers in 34 games while averaging 14.8 points and a team-high 3.5 assists per contest.
- Against Saint Mary's on Feb. 26, Turner tied the Gonzaga single-game record with nine made three-pointers, finishing 9-of-14 from beyond the arc.
- Turner enters the 2026-27 season with 194 career three-pointers, including a program-record 105 during her freshman season in 2024-25.
- In 69 career games, Turner has scored 973 points and needs just 27 more to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
- Turner earned First Team All-WCC honors for the second consecutive season in 2025-26.
HAILE MAKING AN IMPACT
- Jaiden Haile made an immediate impact during her freshman season, averaging 7.1 points and 6.4 rebounds while appearing in all 34 games.
- Haile earned WCC Sixth Woman of the Year honors and was named to the All-WCC Freshman Team.
- Against Pepperdine on Dec. 30, Haile recorded her first career double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 9-of-14 from the field.
- Haile and Lauren Whittaker became the first freshman duo in Gonzaga history to each record at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game during the same season.
- Haile finished with 217 rebounds, including 105 offensive boards, and shot 54.8% from the field.
TRIPLE THREATS ALL AROUND
- Gonzaga finished the 2025-26 season shooting 39.2% from three-point range, converting 244 of its 623 attempts.
- The Bulldogs averaged 7.2 made three-pointers per game, with Allie Turner leading the team with 89.
- Teryn Gardner ranked second on the team with 52 made threes, shooting 46.0% from beyond the arc.
- Julia Wilson shot 42.9% from three-point range, while Paige Lofing connected on 42.1% of her attempts.
- Against San Diego on Jan. 17, Gonzaga made 12 three-pointers, with eight different Bulldogs connecting from beyond the arc.
EXPERIENCE RETURNS
- Gonzaga returns several experienced contributors from a team that won 24 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26.
- Inês Bettencourt enters her senior season after starting all 33 games she appeared in last year, averaging 6.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
- Zeryhia Aokuso played and started all 34 games, averaging 8.4 points and 2.2 assists per contest.
- Taylor Smith started all 34 games in 2025-26, averaging 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds while collecting 93 assists.
- Teryn Gardner appeared in all 34 games, averaging 6.0 points while shooting 46.0% from beyond the arc.
- Together, Turner and Bettencourt accounted for 218 assists last season, while Turner and Whittaker combined for 1,152 points.
 THE ROAD TO LAS VEGAS
- The Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament will take place March 9-13, 2027, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
- All nine Pac-12 women's basketball programs are scheduled to participate in the conference tournament.
- Gonzaga closes its inaugural Pac-12 regular season on March 6 against Washington State inside the McCarthey Athletic Center.
FORTIER CLOSING IN ON ALL-TIME WINS RECORD
- Gonzaga head coach Lisa Fortier enters her 13th season leading the Bulldogs with a 313-84 career record and a .788 winning percentage.
- Fortier is just four victories away from becoming the winningest head coach in Gonzaga women's basketball history, surpassing Kelly Graves' program record of 316 wins.
- Fortier earned her 300th career victory on Jan. 2, 2026, against Seattle U, becoming the fastest coach in Gonzaga history to reach the milestone.
- Fortier reached 300 wins in her 379th career game, matching LSU's Kim Mulkey for the fastest among active Division I women's basketball head coaches.
- Fortier has recorded 11 20-win seasons in her first 12 years leading the program, including a 24-win campaign in 2025-26.
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
- Gonzaga is scheduled to make seven national television appearances during the 2026-27 regular season as the Bulldogs enter their first year in the Pac-12 Conference.
- The national television schedule features four games on USA Network, two on The CW and one on CBS Sports Network.
- An additional eight Gonzaga games are scheduled to air locally on SWX.
- Pac-12 home games not selected for national television will be available to stream for free on Pac-12 platforms.
